
Latest Articles about Middle East

Georgia Opposition Groups And The Arab Unrest
Turmoil in the Arab world has elicited contrasting responses from the two sides of Georgia’s political opposition. Extra-parliamentary radical groups (themselves of varied colors) seem inspired to start yet another regime-change campaign. The parliamentary opposition, on the other hand, rejects the use of “revolutionary” methods... MORE

The PLA’s “Orient Express”: Militarization of the Iron Silk Road
China’s rise on the international stage has been accompanied by an increase in its military's presence. Beijing's expanding ambition is prompting calls on the country's leaders to be more proactive in protecting its national interests. These calls by Chinese analysts have raised concerns about the... MORE

After Mubarak: Egypt’s Islamists Struggle to Adapt to the Egyptian Revolution
Following the departure of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak on February 11 and the collapse of his regime, new faces and conflicts have appeared within the ranks of Egypt’s Islamist movement, including the Muslim Brotherhood.As with the larger Egyptian revolution, internal dissent first appeared on Facebook... MORE

The Unseen Hand: Saudi Arabian Involvement in Yemen
Executive Summary:The future of Yemen is inextricably linked to the stability and security of Saudi Arabia. With key figures in Yemen defecting to the opposition – including the ambassador to Saudi Arabia – and violence between the Saleh regime and anti-government forces escalating, Saudi Arabia... MORE

What Do the Uprisings in The Middle East Mean for al-Qaeda?
There are currently two arguments about what the recent uprisings across the Middle East mean for al-Qaeda. The optimists argue that non-violent revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt have stripped al-Qaeda’s narrative of its power. The pessimists counter that al-Qaeda is far from finished and will... MORE

Special Report from Yemen: Escalation of Violence Moves Yemen Closer to Civil War
In the early hours of Saturday, March 12, Yemeni security forces under the direction of Yemen’s Central Security Service (CSS) (which is commanded by Yahya Salih and is home to the U.S. funded and trained “counter-terror unit”) stormed the anti-government protesters’ camp near Sana’a University.... MORE

Mongolian-Iranian Relations Colored by Meat and Uranium
Iran has been steadily increasing its ties with Mongolia and 2010 was a year of increased Iranian overtures toward Ulaanbaatar. In another manifestation of how democratic Mongolia and Iran are looking towards substantially developing their economic ties, in early December 2010, it was announced that... MORE

The Case of the Iranian Warships and the Suez Canal
Late last week two Iranian warships made the return trip through the Suez Canal after raising a storm of controversy by their transit through the Canal and their visit to a Syrian port in the Mediterranean. Iranian authorities announced the successful completion of the flotilla’s... MORE

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Protests in Yemen
As calls intensify for the resignation of Ali Abdullah Salih, Yemen’s president of 32 years, the immediate impact of the political unrest on al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) remains unclear. Thus far, the turbulence appears to have had minimal impact on the group ideologically,... MORE

Special Report from Yemen: A Dangerous Impasse between the Salih Regime and Anti-Government Demonstrators
As anti-government protesters, whose numbers continue to swell, call for an escalation of demonstrations, Yemeni President Salih reiterated his intention to stay in office until the presidential election in 2013. The Salih government rejected the most recent five point plan put forward by the Joint... MORE